Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward
Sir: My confidential despatch, No. 405, informed you that Mr. Annan, of Bordeaux, had introduced an amendment to the address of the Emperor advising his active interference in our affairs, on which he was expected to speak.
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This would have brought out the whole history of the vessels which were being built in France for the rebels. I wondered at the time, as I informed you, that the friends of the government should permit such an amendment to be brought forward in the existing condition of things. But I think I have failed to inform you that this amendment was subsequently withdrawn by the mover, probably at the instance of the government. The effect of this withdrawal has been to deprive us of the most convenient opportunity for ventilating this entire question. The presiding officer of the Chamber of Deputies will not permit (as in Congress, when in committee of the whole) a man to speak on anything. The very question must here be under discussion, or the speaker is stopped. Had you published all the evidence in your diplomatic correspondence, we might, perhaps, have got it into print from that source; but, as it is now, we scarcely know how to get the facts fully before the French public, but it must be done.
Mr. Evarts has been here, but returned some days since to London.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward &c., &c., &c.